Township Hires New Labor Attorney

South Whitehall commissioners appointed a new labor and employment attorney at their meeting Wednesday night, just two weeks after also naming a new solicitor for the township for the first time in 32 years.

The commissioners unanimously named Thomas L. Heimbach of the Flamm Walton law firm, which has offices in South Whitehall and Blue Bell, to handle the township's labor matters, such as union relations, contract negotiations and grievances. He will be paid $220 an hour.

The appointment comes on the heels of the commissioners' decision last month to name a new solicitor. Attorney Joseph Zator, who attended Wednesday night's meeting as the township's new solicitor, will be paid $175 an hour, as compared to his predecessor's hourly fee of $243 on general, non-land development matters. (Former solicitor Blake Marles also was paid $272 an hour on labor matters, according to the township.)

South Whitehall will no longer pay its solicitor a retainer either, officials said. Marles, who had served the township for more than three decades, and the Stevens & Lee law firm was budgeted for an annual retainer of $136,320 in 2011, according to the township.

Zator, in addressing the commissioners for the first time as township solicitor at a public meeting, expressed his appreciation in being named to the coveted post. He did not pursue the labor attorney position.

"I thank you for the trust and confidence you placed in me and in the firm," he said, then quipped, "I won't have far to travel," in recognition of his South Whitehall office's close proximity to the township building.

Brad Osborne, who is president of the township Board of Commissioners, said he anticipates that the township will realize a considerable savings in its solicitor fees in 2012, possibly in the "five figures." Township Manager Jon Hammer cautioned, however, about the costs of unknown, future litigation.

Zator is also an attorney for the Jaindl Land Co. To avoid any potential conflicts that might arise, Osborne said Zator would recuse himself from any township matters involving Jaindl. He said an alternate solicitor would be named.

Meanwhile, Marles will continue to handle some on-going projects for the township because of his deep involvement in those cases, officials said. Those projects were not identified.

A recent meeting between Marles and Zator to discuss ongoing township matters was described as amicable and professional. "We anticipated a very smooth transition," Hammer said.

South Whitehall  of evaluating its professional services months ago as officials set out to try and determine if the township was getting the best value for its money for those professional services.  Officials continually stressed they were satisfied with the quality of the work.

The process grew out of last year's budget talks that resulted in township officials using capital reserves  in 2011. Over three years, the township had spent more than $1 million for legal services and more than $660,000 for engineering services.

Also last month, the commissioners voted unanimously to reappoint the Pidcock Co. as township engineer.

The board, however, has not been able to come to a decision regarding the provider of the township's third-party inspection service. Osborne said the board is still in deliberations on the matter and that commissioners were not ready to make an appointment.